The Bond of a Partner
by Reallygoodbadwriter
Summary: Philip and Ankh ponder the meaning of "Partner" and Shotaro and Eiji think of their lives without them. (End of series spoilers) (slightly OOC?)
1. Chapter 1

"Partner."

What a peculiar word.

A partner is one that shares or one associated with another especially in an action.

I find it hard to comprehend just how a partnership turns into something so much more. For example: Shotaro and I are partners. We are a single Kamen Rider. Without the other, neither of us can access W.

I believe that we complement each other brilliantly. I bring the logic and the knowledge that comes with each case, however, Shotaro has something that I only can wish to comprehend: Compassion.

If Shotaro was not there to stop me, I don't know how many people I would have injured due to my own view of justice. Shotaro may not be the smartest of everyone in Fuuto, but he is someone who others would love to be. To wish to become kind and thoughtful and open-minded but also stubborn, that is what I believe anyone would really like to say that they are.

I nor Terui or Akiko have yet to understand how Shotaro manages to keep fighting and still have these qualities. Perhaps he IS "hard-boiled" or at least on his way to becoming "hard-boiled". Maybe the definition that was made up for such a term is completely different than we imagined. Perhaps it is actually a person who can control his composure, but still is able to act like a functional human being.

Shotaro shows more emotion than anyone in our little family. He was forced to grow up quicker than he should have. The boss always scolded him. It appears that because of the constant scolding, Shotaro has become rather insecure about how important we really think he is.

_Maybe I should work on how I treat him. He is my partner after all. What would I do if something happened to him and he didn't know how much he actually means to me? I don't want to try to fathom the thought of something happening to him. The idea is just too terrible to imagine._


	2. Chapter 2

We once met Kamen Rider W.

Those two had a certain bond that is hard to describe. Eiji once told me that it had to do with them being "partners." Tck. Then Hina had looked at us and gave an annoying smile and had said that we were like them. We were "partners."

I blew her off because that would have meant that we needed each other, but we do need each other. I need him to fight as OOO and get my cores, and he needs me to hold onto the cores for him so he doesn't drop them while he is fighting or stupidly misplace them.

Although I hate to admit it, I believe that Eiji actually does care about me. At first his intention was just to save the detective who I made my host, but after he realized why I needed him and that the detective would be alright when I left him, Eiji really started to want to help me restore my body. Want to help me even though I didn't give him a reason.

I suppose he wanted to help fulfill my desire because his was uncertain. He always wants to help anyone he can. He always wants to stretch out his hands for others. And now that I really think about it, I really have come to slightly respect Eiji for it.

_As much as I find caring for that idiot a real nuisance, I can't help but feel as though I owe him some sort of caring emotion to when he gets hurt. He would sacrifice himself for anyone. But I am a Greeed and I am selfish. And now I am selfish when it comes to Eiji. I won't tell him this to his face, but I hope he knows. I don't know what I would do if something bad happened to him, to my partner. _


	3. Chapter 3

**Shotaro**

After Philip came back, I took the time to reevaluate my mental state if Wakana hadn't traded places with him. I don't know how much longer I could have taken it.

Akiko would give me this sad look, but after I had snapped at her a few times, she stopped asking. I realized how selfish that was of me. She was grieving too and I had no right to treat her like that when she only wanted to know how I was holding up.

Only four people knew what happened to Philip: Akiko, Terui, I, and Philip himself. Everyone else was utterly clueless and therefore innocently lacked any kind of sensitive reserve to talk about him. They thought he was away studying abroad.

Akiko and Terui knew that I was hurting but I don't think they knew just much hurt I was actually feeling.

**Eiji**

If I wanted to grasp hold of anyone's hand and never let go, it would be Ankh. I honestly didn't expect the outcome of the final battle with Dr. Maki. I didn't know that Ankh's core medal was broken. _I wish I had known._

He let me use his core medal, his broken core medal, to fight with. He gave me his life to defeat Dr. Maki.

I pretended like I was dealing with it well. Not for me, but for everyone else.

When I started traveling with the broken medal in my pocket, it was at first to just grieve away from everyone. However, after I got wind that maybe I could fix Ankh's core, I jumped right into it.

I still feel his presence every day. He is watching me. He is looking after me. Probably calling me an idiot.

_I just want to hear his voice again._

**Shotaro and Eiji**

People will ask us how we ever got over the loss of our partner. The answer itself is very easy.

_You don't._


End file.
